This invention relates to wreath making machines, and more particularly to a wreath making machine used in conjunction with a wreath frame having a plurality of clips for receiving greens or the like, from which the wreath is formed.
In making wreaths, it is known to use a wreath frame, typically circular, which includes a plurality of clips for retaining greens or the like on the frame. Each clip generally has a base member connected to the frame, such as by welding, and a pair of spaced arms extending upwardly from the base member and away from the frame. The clips are adapted to receive greens or the like between the spaced arms, and are crimped about the greens for retaining the greens on the frame. A wreath is formed by affixing greens to the frame in this manner at each clip about the circumference of the frame.
Previous devices for crimping the clips about the greens utilize a pair of opposed pivotable jaws which engage the elbows formed on the clip at the joint between the upstanding arms and the base member. Upon closing of the jaws, the elbows are thrust upwardly to clamp the greens therebetween, thereby forming an area in the shape of a parallelogram for receiving the greens. The crimping of the clip about the greens is performed by the user stepping on a foot-operated pedal connected to an actuator mechanism. The stepping motion is substantially vertical, and requires the operator to be in a standing position when making the wreaths. Such a construction is tiring and fatiguing, since there are repeated crimpings to be performed during making of a wreath. When engaged in a production run, the operator easily tires from this repeated up-down stepping motion necessary to actuate the crimping jaws.
The present invention provides a more secure clamping action on the greens by the clip, and also provides a more ergonometrically satisfactory mechanism for operating the jaws of the crimping device. In accordance with the invention, a pair of opposed movable jaws are connected to a support structure. The jaws are movable between an open position for receiving the clip therebetween and a closed position for crimping the clip about the greens. The jaws are capable of crimping the clip such that the ends of the clip arms are forced downwardly toward the base member by the jaws during movement of the jaws from the open position to the closed position. In this manner, the clip is securely crimped about the greens.
An actuator means is operably connected to the jaws for causing the jaws to moved from the open position to the closed position. The actuator means is engageable by a foot of the operator of the apparatus and is operable in such a way that the user pushes the actuator means away from the operator's body in order to cause the jaws to move from the open position to the closed position. The actuator means is preferably disposed below the jaws and the support structure, so that the operator can be in a sitting position and is merely required to push the actuator means away from the body with the foot from the sitting position. This operation of the device alleviates stress on the operator, and enables the operator to engage in lengthy production runs without tiring.